Published Article

This study assessed the guiding principles and dependability of problem statements in research, focusing on lecturers at AkwaIbom State University. Descriptive survey design was adopted to carry out this research in Akwa Ibom State University. The targeted population comprised all lecturers in Akwa Ibom State University. Simple random sampling technique was used to 50 lecturers in Akwa Ibom State University which formed the sample size used to carry out this research. The instrument used for data collection was a structured questionnaire titled “Guiding Principles and Dependability of Problem Statement Questionnaire (GPDPSQ)”. Face and content validation of the instrument was carried out by an expert in test, measurement, and evaluation in order to ensure that the instrument has the accuracy, appropriateness, and completeness for the study under consideration. The reliability coefficient obtained was 0.95, and this was high enough to justify the use of the instrument. The researcher subjected the data generated for this study to appropriate statistical technique such as descriptive statistics to answer research questions. The result of the data analysis, showed that “Clarity and Precision” among other principles was the most prominent that guided research problem statement. It also revealed that “Justification for research: Addressing a Knowledge Gap” among many others was the highest role that problem statements played in research. The study concluded that a dependable and well-structured problem statement is vital for guiding meaningful research. One of the recommendations made was that lecturers should undergo regular workshops and training sessions that focus on the formulation of clear, researchable, and dependable problem statements.

Keyword: Lecturers, Guiding Principles, Dependability, Research and AkwaIbom State   University